There are two blockbuster classics on a thrilling Guineas Day card at Turffontein on Saturday. To make matters even more exciting, a R500,000 TAB Pick 6 carryover should see the pool reach R3 million. Two bankers plus four difficult legs gives players the chance to win a good payout for an affordable outlay. The weekend starts with a busy Friday featuring two early meetings in the Far East, the regular Friday entertainment from Fairview, a twilight meeting at Greyville and Group action from Meydan. A Highveld raider with a big following looks a banker at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday, so fasten your seatbelts for an action-packed and hopefully lucrative ride!
Computaform’s collateral form lines show that Alan Greeff’s useful stayer Bournemouth is the one to beat in Race 7, the R175,000 Lakeside Handicap over 2400m on turf. He has a good advantage at the weights on several recent races for stayers and holds Fireally, Zatara Magic, Harold The Duke and Runway Song. Bournemouth won this contest easily last year and races with only 0.5kg more.
On a line of recent form through Capsaicin, there is little to choose in Race 4 over 1600m among Last One Standing, Royal Swan Master, Sundance Kid and Officer In Command. But the winner could come from outside this group of older horses in the form of three-year-old Field Marshal, who is improving and won his most recent start with eye-catching ease. He looks capable of handling a marginal rise in class after a rest.
First Conquest can lift Charlie Appleby and Godolphin’s mood in Race 6, the Dubai Millennium Stakes over 2000m, the Group 3 highlight on the card. First Conquest created a big impression on his seasonal debut in the Lord North Handicap three weeks ago, when he clocked a sizzling 21.8 seconds for the final 400m. Appleby has won this race eight times.
My Flower Fate, who finished a good second to Time For Love in the Listed Ladies Mile at Kenilworth last May, could post her first feature success in the R180,000 Clapham Stakes over the same course and distance. She narrowly missed the money in the Grade 3 Diana Stakes in September, confirming her quality, and looks set for a big run in lesser company.
Don’t look beyond the obvious when structuring Pick 6 permutations for this carryover pool. On their deserved high ratings and excellent recent form, top colt Main Defender should get punters safely through Leg 1 (Race 4) and champion filly Quid Pro Quo should do the same in Race 6, the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Guineas over 1600m. With two bankers, the other legs can be structured to cover upsets.
Golden Sickle and Chocolate Soldier look best in Race 5 with handily weighted Red Bomber the best outsider. Fire Attack, Greaterix and Legend Of Arthur stand out in Race 7, the Gauteng Guineas, but outsider Chestnut Bomber is highly regarded and looks a nice “roughie”. The last two legs are competitive, consider taking the field in both. For small budgets gamble on One Fell Swoop, Nettleton and Mercantour in Race 8 and Salute The Flag, Spring Tradition, Gregarious and Alone Time in Race 9.
SUGGESTED R352 (20%) PICK 6 PERM (Leg 1 Race 3 @ 13:45):
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 1, 4, 6, 10
Leg 3: 2
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4
Leg 5: FIELD (1-11)
Leg 6: FIELD (1-10)
Nicky Henderson’s talented Jango Baie has been priced up even-money favourite for the Grade 1 Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices' Chase over 3600m. The six-year-old sparkled on his seasonal appearance at Cheltenham's December meeting and Henderson said: “The Scilly Isles has been his target all the way along.” Also on Saturday, there are four Grade 1s at the jump meeting at Leopardstown in Ireland.
Title-chasing Tadgh O’Shea has a full book of rides, including Arabian Tale for Bhupat Seemar in Race 5, the Shadwell Stakes over 1950m on dirt. By Dubawi, Arabian Tale has progressed this season and gained a first success for the campaign when winning at Jebel Ali two weeks ago. He holds strong claims of following up off his revised rating of a career-high 91.
William Robertson was surprisingly beaten into second by Captain Bombshell when odds-on favourite over 1100m at this track recently, but trainer Corne Spies believes his big galloper will make amends in Race 7 over 1200m. He said: “A year ago, William Robertson was beaten by the same horse in similarly yielding going, when he also flew up late. I think he needs to race handier, which will be the instruction to jockey Ryan Munger. Our horse is well and rated to win.”